Homoween 2019: Hollywood Coven

Day 14: You Stole My Heart

"How did you like the show?"

"Of course, the show is magnificent. And we felt very lucky that we were allowed in. You are a king and a gentleman among men, Channing."

"Well, I like to take care of my friends."

"I met you once at a dinner for that one movie our friend was in." Derek added.

"I remember. You stole a champagne bottle." Channing countered warmly.

"Hey, it was good champagne and I am famous. Have to have some shenanigans sometimes." Luke thought that Derek was proud of the oddest thing sometimes. But since their fight and his return later in the evening to added the Magic Mike show, their friendship had seemed to take a muted turn.

Pity.

The trio walked aimlessly through the M&M factory and every so often, Derek would paw at one of the colors on the wall of M&Ms. Apparently Channing's version of letting off steam after Magic Mike was the M&M factory store and the alien shooting range at Gameworks. 

"Which guys are your favorite to work with?"

"I love all my boys. You know how it is, huh?" Channing asked, giving Derek a playful slap on the chest. With the civilian clothes on, they looked more like over aged frat boys out for a night on the town than high profile stars. "You'd fit right in."

Derek whined a little. "Don't tease me like that. I'll do it."

"If you had the time-" Channing said and then quickly. "I know you're busy with your career."

"Not that busy that I couldn't do a residency. Do you know if Gameworks has one of those multi-platform alien shooters?" he asked.

"Not sure. So what really brings you guys to Vegas?"

"We're on a mission!" Derek yipped. 

Luke shot him a look.

"Scouting for a new movie location? Don't you guys have people for that."

"We're following a mystery! Or maybe it's a mystery! We're not sure!"

Luke gave a little chuckle. "He means- it's an updated Hercule Poirot mystery-" Luke said as he maneuvered so he could jostle Derek in the ribs. What in the hell was he doing? And why was- was that gum? When did he get gum?

"It's weird that you came in so incognito. Like you were-trying to sniff out trouble of some kind. But we all know that there's no trouble here. Just a playground!" Channing said nonchalantly but as he spoke, he moved in on Luke and Derek and a weird force pricked against Luke's skin. He found himself moving back, moving away, shielding Derek. Perhaps this hadn't been a friendly social visit after all.

"That was all planned!" Derek said again cheerfully and then shook his head as though hearing himself speaking. "I didn't mean to say that. Why did I say that?"

"Well, maybe you know how important it is to be honest with friends, Derek. You know, I do consider you a friend, a brother who has my heart. A distant one but you're pretty cool. And you know Luke I've admired all your camera work- even from way back when. I get how hard it is. I started out as a male dancer and stripper. And I just- made it happen. Like magic."

"Spit out your gum Derek!"

"Or swallow it-" Channing said, giving Derek bedroom eyes.

"Derek, spit it out!"

"You don't wanna do that-" 

Derek whined and instead of making a decision he barreled away and hurtled himself right over a section of clothes in order to cause a scene. Luke looked toward Derek's direction and then turned back to find Channing gone. 

At least Derek hadn't swallowed the gum.